Holy Roman Empire / Germany: Notable Musicians (and their Contributions) and Notable Musical Developments

Minnesang (All Facts)

• Tradition of German song inspired by and similar to the French Troubadours and Trouveres

1160 - 1220 - Wolfram von Eschenbach (All Facts)

• German Minnesang

• He is regarded as one of the greatest epic poets of medieval German literature

• He is famous for his romance and grail-story Percival

1170 - 1230 - Walter von der Vogelweide (All Facts)

• German Minnesang who was a wanderer and a beggar

• The German Minnesang tradition was exemplified in his songs

• He discarded the older strict form of Minnesang

1370s - Meistersinger (All Facts)

• Took over the lyric art of the aristocratic Minnesinger tradition

• Consisted of traders and craftsmen who founded guilts to set and keep up standards for their namesake art

1400s - Lied (All Facts)

• National Form of polyphonic song in Germany, typically for solo voice with piano accompaniment

1564 - 1612 - Hans Leo Hassler (All Facts)

• German Composer

• He wrote choral and keyboard works

1571 - 1621 - Michael Praetorius (All Facts)

• German Composer

• He was a leading composer of music for the Lutheran Church

1587 - 1654 - Samuel Scheidt (All Facts)

• German Composer

• He was renowned for his composition for organ

1616 - 1667 - Johann Froberger (All Facts)

• German Composer

• He was court organist at Vienna for 20 years

• He was best remembered for his harpsichord suites

1585 - 1672 - Henrich Schutz (All Facts)

• German Composer

  • He was the first German composer to achieve international fame

• He was head of music (“kapellmeister”)

  • He started out as a choirboy at Kassel and showed early talent

  • The local ruler of Kassel gave him money to study music in Venice

  • After his return, he was seconded to the Elector of Saxony at Dresden, where he attained the position of “kapellmeister”)

• His music was (is) powerfully expressive

  • Most of his music was religious and for the church

  • He wrote oratorios, passions, and motets

  • He wrote a few secular works, including the first German opera

1627 - Heinrich Schutz: Dafne (All Facts)

• Considered the first German Opera

1636 - Henrich Schutz: Kleine Geistliche Konzerte (All Facts)

• Work which the namesake composer composed after a visit to Venice

1653 - 1706 - Johann Pachelbel (All Facts)

• German Composer and Organist

• He was regarded for

  • the clarity of his polyphony

  • his well-structured harmonies

• He wrote

  • motets

  • magnificants

  • chorals

  • variations

  • preludes

• He died at Nuremberg

1680 - 1706 - Johann Pachelbel: Canon in D (All Facts)

1685 - 1759 - George Frederic Handel (All Facts)

• German-British Composer

1709 - George Frederic Handel: Agrippina (All Facts)

• Opera which won the namesake composer overnight fame following its first triumphant production